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Farm produce

Export potatoes

Fresh table and processing potatoes, mostly by road and short sea routes to Nepal, the Gulf and South-East Asia.

Free to exportHS 0701
HS code
0701
Potatoes, fresh or chilled: seed potatoes (0701 10) and table or processing potatoes (0701 90). Frozen fries and dried flakes are in other chapters.
Export policy
Free to export
Export is Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2; we found no recent restriction. A phytosanitary certificate is needed for every consignment. Confirm current status on dgft.gov.in.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 86.4 mn
to 25 countries

What is exported

India exported fresh potatoes worth about US$ 86 million in 2025-26 (TradeStat). Nepal was the largest buyer, followed by Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Buyers are wholesale importers, supermarket chains in the Gulf and chip makers who want low-sugar processing varieties.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri BaharCommon table varieties from the Indo-Gangetic plains.
  • Kufri Chipsona and other processing varietiesHigh dry matter, low sugar — wanted by chip and fry makers.
  • Kufri Badshah, Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri SindhuriVarieties named by APEDA among India’s main potatoes; Sindhuri is red-skinned.

Where it is grown or made

  • Uttar PradeshAgra, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Aligarh — large cold-storage belt.
  • West BengalHooghly, Bardhaman, Bankura — close to the Bangladesh land ports.
  • GujaratBanaskantha (Deesa) — processing varieties, near Mundra and Kandla ports.
  • PunjabJalandhar and Hoshiarpur — the main seed-potato area.

Season

Main rabi crop harvested February–March and held in cold storage; exports run through the year, heaviest from March to October.

Export packing

  • Jute or leno mesh bags of 25–50 kg; smaller mesh bags for Gulf retail.
  • Ventilated or reefer containers; trucks for Nepal and Bangladesh.

Who buys abroad

  • Wholesale market traders and importers in neighbouring countries
  • Supermarket and hypermarket chains in the Gulf
  • Chip and frozen-fry processors

The quality buyers ask for

Size
Graded by diameter or weight band set by the buyer (for example 40–60 mm, 60–80 mm)
Condition
Clean, cured, firm; free of soil, greening, sprouts, cuts, rot and pests
Processing grade
Dry matter and reducing sugar limits set by the chip or fry maker
Residues
Destination MRLs, including sprout suppressants

Certificates

  • APEDA RCMCRequiredRegistration with APEDA, issued as an RCMC on the DGFT portal; not needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB since 15 Sep 2026.
  • Phytosanitary certificateRequiredIssued by Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) for each consignment after inspection; apply on PQMS.
  • GLOBALG.A.P.Often askedFarm-level good agricultural practice certification wanted by European supermarket buyers of fresh produce.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

A 40-ft reefer typically carries about 26–28 tonnes in 50 kg bags; trucks to Nepal and Bangladesh.

How it travels

Sea freight from Mundra, JNPA or Kolkata; land ports such as Raxaul and Petrapole for neighbours.

Storage

Cold storage at typically about 2–4 °C for table potatoes and warmer for processing grades; condition (warm up slowly) before loading.

Shelf life

Several weeks in reefers if cured and sound.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Bulk bags and cartons: product and grade, crop year, lot number, net and gross weight, "Product of India", exporter name and the buyer’s shipping marks, matching the invoice and packing list exactly.
  • Fresh produce cartons for the EU (Regulation 2023/2429): packer’s name and address, produce and variety, country of origin, class, size code and net weight.
  • Gulf countries: Arabic text (Arabic plus English is normal), production and expiry dates, net weight, country of origin and importer details. Confirm current rules with your importer.
Where to get it tested

Use a laboratory on APEDA’s list of recognised laboratories (apeda.gov.in → Recognised Organisations), an FSSAI-notified lab, or a lab accredited by NABL for the test (nabl-india.org). Ask the buyer which reports they accept before sending samples.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • Plant Quarantine (DPPQS)Phytosanitary certificate for each consignment of plant produce, applied for online on PQMS. Some markets also want the packhouse or processing unit registered.pqms.cgg.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • A phytosanitary certificate from Plant Quarantine for every consignment; some markets add treatment or pest-free-area conditions — check the importing country’s rules first.
  • Soil-free, sprout-free, cured tubers of even size; no greening, cuts or soft rot. Seed potatoes need a separate seed certification and the buyer country’s permit.
  • Pesticide residues must meet the destination country’s MRLs; check them in APEDA’s International Pesticide MRL Database before you buy the crop.
  • Chip and fry makers check dry matter and reducing sugars; agree the test method and limits in the contract.
How to start small

Start with one container of graded, cured potatoes from cold storage to a Gulf or Sri Lankan importer, or a truckload to a Nepali wholesaler through a land port. Get the buyer to name the variety, size range and bag type before you buy stock. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27); registrations required by a law still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Shipping potatoes straight out of cold storage without conditioning — they sweat in the container and rot.
  • Soil on tubers: many plant quarantine services reject soil because it can carry pests and nematodes.
  • Selling a table variety to a chip maker — high sugar gives dark chips and the lot is rejected.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce — TradeStat, India’s exports by commodity and country (2025-26)
  2. APEDA — Other fresh vegetables profile (varieties, states, 2025-26 destinations)
  3. Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) — PQMS portal for phytosanitary certificates
  4. APEDA — International Pesticide MRL Database
  5. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian potatoes exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 86.4 mn
+2.6% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -28.2%
US$ 120 mn → US$ 86.4 mn
Buyer countries
25
Average export price
US$ 0.20
per kg · 4,26,959 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.23 the year before
Nepal: US$ 31.7 mnOman: US$ 13.6 mnIndonesia: US$ 12.3 mnMalaysia: US$ 5.4 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 4.2 mnSri Lanka: US$ 4.1 mnVietnam: US$ 3.7 mnMaldives: US$ 2.7 mnKuwait: US$ 2.1 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 1.1 mnMauritius: US$ 1.1 mnSenegal: US$ 850kHong Kong: US$ 640kBhutan: US$ 600kQatar: US$ 580kMyanmar: US$ 560kBahrain: US$ 350kEgypt: US$ 150kIraq: US$ 40kSingapore: US$ 20kAustralia: US$ 10kNepal: US$ 31.7 mnNepalOman: US$ 13.6 mnIndonesia: US$ 12.3 mnIndonesiaMalaysia: US$ 5.4 mnMalaysiaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 4.2 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSri Lanka: US$ 4.1 mnVietnam: US$ 3.7 mnVietnamMaldives: US$ 2.7 mnMaldivesKuwait: US$ 2.1 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 1.1 mnMauritius: US$ 1.1 mnSenegal: US$ 850kHong Kong: US$ 640kBhutan: US$ 600kQatar: US$ 580kMyanmar: US$ 560kBahrain: US$ 350kEgypt: US$ 150kIraq: US$ 40kSingapore: US$ 20kAustralia: US$ 10kIndia
Where Indian potatoes goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 75.8 mn762020-212021-22: US$ 102 mn1022021-222022-23: US$ 101 mn1012022-232023-24: US$ 101 mn1012023-242024-25: US$ 120 mn1202024-252025-26: US$ 86.4 mn862025-26
India’s potatoes exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2024-25, lowest in 2021-22 — a 21% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.23 per kg2021-22: US$ 0.19 per kg0.192022-23: US$ 0.21 per kg2024-25: US$ 0.23 per kg0.232025-26: US$ 0.20 per kg0.202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian potatoes · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 75.8 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 102 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 101 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 101 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 120 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 86.4 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 109 mn (US$ 86.8 mn – US$ 136 mn)1092026-272027-28: US$ 112 mn (US$ 87.5 mn – US$ 144 mn)1122027-28
India’s potatoes exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 112 mn

Likely range US$ 87.5 mn to US$ 144 mn.

Trend
+3.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.15 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1NepalUS$ 31.7 mn-15.8%
2OmanUS$ 13.6 mn-23.5%
3IndonesiaUS$ 12.3 mn+7.1%
4MalaysiaUS$ 5.4 mn+5.9%
5United Arab EmiratesUS$ 4.2 mn-10.9%
6Sri LankaUS$ 4.1 mn-5.3%
7VietnamUS$ 3.7 mn-27.5%
8MaldivesUS$ 2.7 mn-31.6%
9KuwaitUS$ 2.1 mn-34.5%
10Saudi ArabiaUS$ 1.1 mn-80%
11MauritiusUS$ 1.1 mn+38%
12SenegalUS$ 850k+226.9%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. MauritiusUS$ 790k → US$ 1.1 mn+38%

Low demand

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 1.1 mn-80%
  2. BhutanUS$ 1.2 mn → US$ 600k-51.6%
  3. KuwaitUS$ 3.2 mn → US$ 2.1 mn-34.5%
  4. MaldivesUS$ 3.9 mn → US$ 2.7 mn-31.6%
  5. VietnamUS$ 5.1 mn → US$ 3.7 mn-27.5%
  6. OmanUS$ 17.8 mn → US$ 13.6 mn-23.5%
  7. NepalUS$ 37.7 mn → US$ 31.7 mn-15.8%
  8. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 4.7 mn → US$ 4.2 mn-10.9%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Potatoes fresh or chilled other than seeds0701 90 00 · Vegetables, potatoes, fresh or chilledUS$ 84.1 mn-29.5%4,21,618 tonnesUS$ 0.20 per kgwas US$ 0.23
Potato seeds fresh or chilled0701 10 00 · Vegetables, seed potatoes, fresh or chilledUS$ 2.3 mn+143.6%5,341 tonnesUS$ 0.43 per kgwas US$ 1.96

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 6.3 bn
2023
India among exporters
#12
of 128 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.6%
US$ 103 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 6.16 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1NetherlandsUS$ 1.24 bn 19.9%
  2. 2FranceUS$ 1.11 bn 17.7%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 698 mn 11.1%
  4. 4CanadaUS$ 469 mn 7.5%
  5. 5EgyptUS$ 396 mn 6.3%
  6. 6USAUS$ 339 mn 5.4%
  7. 7BelgiumUS$ 262 mn 4.2%
  8. 8ChinaUS$ 230 mn 3.7%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 217 mn 3.5%
  10. 10United KingdomUS$ 184 mn 2.9%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1BelgiumUS$ 1.05 bn 16.7%
  2. 2NetherlandsUS$ 554 mn 8.8%
  3. 3SpainUS$ 502 mn 8%
  4. 4USAUS$ 448 mn 7.1%
  5. 5ItalyUS$ 348 mn 5.5%
  6. 6GermanyUS$ 308 mn 4.9%
  7. 7FranceUS$ 250 mn 4%
  8. 8PortugalUS$ 182 mn 2.9%
  9. 9MexicoUS$ 115 mn 1.8%
  10. 10GreeceUS$ 112 mn 1.8%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

NetherlandsUS$ 710 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 710 mn
SpainUS$ 578 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 578 mn
United States of AmericaUS$ 389 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 389 mn
ItalyUS$ 377 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 377 mn
GermanyUS$ 356 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 356 mn
FranceUS$ 267 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 267 mn
EgyptUS$ 163 mnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 162 mn
MalaysiaUS$ 101 mnIndia 6% · gap US$ 95.2 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 85.5 mnIndia 4.3% · gap US$ 81.9 mn
CanadaUS$ 63.9 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 63.9 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export potatoes

India is the world’s second-largest potato producer (FAO data quoted by APEDA), but exports are small next to output because most of the crop is eaten at home. Trade is regional: Nepal by road, and Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE and Sri Lanka by sea. Competition comes from Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Openings are processing-grade potatoes for chip makers in South-East Asia and cold-chain programmes with Gulf supermarkets.

  1. 01Register and choose a market

    Get your IEC and APEDA RCMC; check the importing country’s plant-health rules for potatoes in APEDA’s import regulations page.

  2. 02Source from cold store or farm

    Buy the variety and size the buyer wants; inspect a sample for sprouting, rot and greening.

  3. 03Grade, clean and bag

    Remove soil, sort by size and pack in the agreed bags; condition cold-stored stock before loading.

  4. 04Inspection and phytosanitary certificate

    Apply on PQMS; Plant Quarantine inspects the lot (and fumigation or treatment if the importing country requires it) before issuing the certificate.

  5. 05Agree specification, price and payment

    Put grade, tests, packing, Incoterm (FOB or CIF), shipment period and payment (advance, LC or documents against payment) in a written contract. Cover the buyer with ECGC if you give credit.

  6. 06File the shipping bill and ship

    Your customs broker files the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the invoice and packing list. After customs clearance the line issues the bill of lading; get the certificate of origin from the right agency if the buyer needs a trade-agreement rate.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). When the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting potatoes

Which potato varieties sell abroad?
Table buyers want clean, uniform potatoes of common varieties; chip makers want processing varieties such as Kufri Chipsona with high dry matter.
Can I export seed potatoes?
Yes, but seed needs certification and the buyer country’s import permit; it is a specialised trade, so start with table potatoes.
Why do potatoes rot in transit?
Usually because cold-stored potatoes were loaded without conditioning, or the reefer temperature and ventilation were wrong.
Do I need an RCMC for a small trial shipment?
Not for a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB since 15 Sep 2026 (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires, such as the Spices Board CRES or Tobacco Board registration, still apply.
What RoDTEP do potatoes get?
3.9% of FOB, capped at ₹1 per kg (Appendix 4R), continued to 31 Dec 2026.
Sources (6)
  1. APEDA — Other fresh vegetables profile (varieties, states, 2025-26 destinations)
  2. APEDA — Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
  3. Department of Commerce — TradeStat, India’s exports by commodity and country (2025-26)
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification No. 32, 30 Sep 2024)
  5. Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) — PQMS portal for phytosanitary certificates
  6. EU — Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2429, marketing standards for fruit and vegetables

Who buys Indian potatoes

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